This is the depths' second layer...
We did it, Reg!
We've survived our final lesson!
Is that so?
Sure is!
Leader, we pulled it off!
It hasn't really hit me yet...
Did we really get away from them?
That's right!
We don't have to worry about anyone pursuing us anymore!
Let's hurry on, Reg. It might be calling all of its buddies over here.
Yeah...
They must prepare themselves for what's to come.
In this place that transcends the ordinary, they themselves are outsiders,
the enemy,
the prey...
They're a threat.
These leaves sure are huge...
Yeah, and the smell of the greenery has gotten stronger.
Also, while it's nice that the leaves help hide us, they totally block the view of our surroundings.
Listen, Reg.
These trees might be big, but they're similar to amagiri.
"Amagiri"?
Right.
Here, look!
Amagiri sprouts always point toward the north of the Abyss...
just like these do.
The branches similarly always point toward the center of the Abyss.
Oh...
So, they're helpful when it's hard to make out your surroundings.
There's an old saying that goes: "If you get lost, just follow the amagiri."
Whoa, you sound pretty smart right now, Riko...
nothing like when we were back in Orth!
Wait... That's a compliment, right?
Let's see...
We're supposed to descend from around here, right?
We really need to head to Seeker Camp, the monitoring base down here.
Help me!
Somebody's voice? This isn't like that other time...
What's the matter?!
Shh! There's somebody here!
Help...
Over there!
Someone's crying for help!
Really?!
Help...
I heard it!
Help...
Down on the ground there... It's a cave raider!
I'll drive that thing away.
Help me... Help...
Reg, hold on! It could be a trap!
A trap?
That thing is a corpse-weeper...
They mimic the cries for help of prey they capture to lure others to their colonies.
Which means... that person is already...
Reg, get down!
Riko!
Another one?! How careless of me!
It's okay.
It's... It's still in range!
Calm down...
I can't miss this!
Everyone, unable to resist, goes down in
Make those eyes shine brighter than a torch
The destination we are aiming for is deep
We squarely lose our way
The trap of the open-mouthed netherworld
Let's chase the traces of truth
If an answer can be found now, we don't mind losing it all
The echo is still reverberating
So that we do not part with that voice
The compass is always
Pointed to the darkness
Where there is no escape
In that direction
Even if that is a curse
The pulse is the real thing
Never again will the yearning stop
Reg!
This is bad!
Ascending within the Abyss means...!
Riko!
Too far!
She's being fed to the chicks?!
No!
D-don't do it!
No!
Riko!
What...?
What can I possibly do?!
Where...?
Where am I...?
Go!
Yet again.
But still, this feeling...
My body remembers.
In the past, I did something like this.
Riko!
Ah... the strain of the second layer is serious.
I need to lay her down quickly...
If that thing had hit Riko...
What in the...
What in the world...
am I?
She doesn't seem to be injured.
Reg...
Riko!
I'm glad you're awake!
You wouldn't wake up, so I got really worried!
Ah, but... you should stay lying down for now...
Uh...
You were taking so long to wake up, so I thought you might be hurt...
And, uh...
And your clothes were all covered with vomit and stuff.
Oh, come on, Reg, you don't need to act so embarrassed.
You're a robot, after all.
Besides, you're the one who saved me, Reg, right?
Reg, did...
Reg, did you...
Reg, did you do this?
I kind of lost myself in the moment...
But to think I ended up doing this...
Amazing!
Hey, it must've come out of this spot on your hand here?
I wonder what we should name it...
Incinerator! Let's call this cannon thing that!
Uh, Riko...
I'm not in the mood for this...
I very nearly completely blew you away.
If I had, I...
Reg! It's alright!
Let's see, it was around...
this big or so.
What exactly was?
The size of the blast from your Incinerator the first time you saved me, Reg!
And that was from about 200 meters away!
It'll be fine!
Reg, you used to be able to control that power quite well!
Let's train it together!
This power of yours...
is something you can master!
Riko...
Reg...?
Huh? What's going on?
Are you alright? Reg?
Reg!
What's the matter, Reg?!
Help...
Help me...
Gone... Gone...
It's gone...
It's gone!
Riko?
Reg, you're awake!
Hey, so are you alright?
You suddenly fell asleep and wouldn't wake up no matter what!
Did firing your Incinerator tire you out?
Ah, that right...?
I'm, uh... fine.
I see! Good to hear!
Anyway, what were you yelling about?
Oh, that's right!
My cave-raiding notebook is gone!
That notebook you were always making memos in?
Yeah.
It's possible I dropped it when that corpse-weeper snatched me...
The clasp on my pouch also got busted.
If that's the case, then...
Well, there's nothing we can do about it.
You okay with that?!
Yeah...
but if I had to lose it, I would've liked to have gotten to the bottom of the netherworld first...
I mean, when it's found a long time from now, it'll only contain my writings up till this point,
so my legend won't spread far and wide, you know?
Stuff like: "Amazing! Riko totally made it to the deepest depths!" Or...
"That Star Compass really was pointed to the netherworld's bottom!" and so on.
But you dropped that not too long ago, too...
I at least wanted to add something about your Incinerator to my catalog of your features, Reg.
That's my only regret...
I'm quite sure she also wrote something in there about how my penis looks like a real one...
I hope it stays hidden in the netherworld's darkness for all eternity.
Let's make a new one!
Oh!
I tried roasting it under some ouba leaves.
I kept the seasoning simple and only used rock salt and ground-up Eternal Fortunes.
This... even looks tasty, doesn't it?!
Thanks for the food!
Yum! It's got a delicious taste that appeals to the instincts!
Riko! This is a bit peculiar but it's tasty!
On top of that, you did well to kill some game on your own.
Actually, Reg, this is meat from that corpse-weeper you killed.
Uh... Riko, that doesn't bother you?
Corpse-weepers sometimes eat humans, right?
In fact, we just witnessed...
That's true.
So, Reg, that still concerns you despite being a robot, huh?
Y-yeah...
It's probably 'cause we both look generally the same...
You know, we sometimes had meat at the orphanage too, right?
Yeah...
Well, most all of that stuff was hunted by Blue Whistles in the first layer.
Those kinds of primeval creatures also feed on cave raiders and ruffians to some degree or other.
Is that so...?
It's sad when they die...
But they become the flesh and blood of those creatures, and then once again become our strength.
That is how we - all us cave raiders - have grown strong.
I see...
Even that scene that revisited me in a nightmare is just part of daily life down here...
All of the resilience of those who live here was built up for the sake of life in the Abyss.
This really is delicious...
It's the real thing...
Look!
The waterfalls are flowing upward!
Oh my...
Seems it won't shoot straight.
The wind here is blowing like crazy.
Guess we can't keep taking shortcuts like we have been.
What's the matter, Riko?
Uh, I feel like it somehow got colder...
I know it's windy, but...
Here in the Inverted Forest, I wonder if we don't get that much light reflected by the force field.
Seems pretty gloomy, right?
You okay? Want me to get out the cold-weather gear?
Uh, nah, we can't spread out our supplies here, so later's okay.
Riko, hold this for a little bit.
It's warm!
Try to make do with that until things settle down.
Reg, you're not cold?
I can feel the wind, but no, not really.
I figured as much!
Well, I'll be borrowing this for now, then.
Reg! Some kind of symbol appeared on your helmet!
Huh?
Wow...
I never noticed it before!
It never showed up while you were sleeping... not even once!
What could it be?
Reg, maybe it's the writing system they use where you come from.
Huh?
A-ah, it's disappearing!
What are those...?
Um... I think they're called inbyos...
Looks like they're saying, "This is our turf."
Think they're angry?
Here they come!
Riko, you alright?
Y-yeah...
Seems we managed to make it out of their territory...
Hup!
You sure you're headed in the right direction?
Yep, we should be able to see the route to the Seeker Camper soon.
I told you, right? I know where we're going.
Master! Master!
Something's approaching.
It's two people.
One's a Red Whistle... and the other one...
doesn't even seem to be a cave raider...
Shall I ready the gondola?
Master...?
I get the feeling the wind's calmed down.
That might be because we've left the central part of the Abyss.
Come to think of it, the creatures here are more peaceful, too.
So that's how it works?
The force field, you see, carries light and nutrients,
so there are more creatures the closer you get to the central shaft.
I also hear that when you get farther away from there the Curse becomes a bit more bearable.
So that's why the Seeker Camp is in such a strangely remote place, huh?
Well, you see...
The Inverted Forest is too high up to descend from directly,
so it was originally built as a stopover point for people taking the long way around.
It just so happened that the location proved convenient.
Like, long-range visibility is better where the force field is weak, right?
So they ended up constructing a large telescope there.
Riko...
Is that...
the telescope?
Wow!
So this is the Seeker Camp, huh?
It's really quite high up there...
Huh? Speaking of that...
What's wrong?
Um, well...
I heard the Seeker Camp always has a lookout on duty.
So when someone starts approaching, I was told they lower the gondola for them...
A Red Whistle... A robot...
They might be feeling wary...
Reg, are you able to stretch your arm up there?
Maybe with both arms, or...
Let's give it a try.
Seems I managed to re-
Reg, what's wrong?
Something has...
grabbed...
my arms.
Huh?!
So she's still alive... that brat.
The Unmovable Sovereign, Ozen the Immovable...
a White Whistle who possesses unrivaled physical strength.
That glint in her eyes...
For these children, will it prove to be a glint of hope?
Or is it instead an ominous omen?
The glittering waves that float in the sky
Let's bundle them and build a rainbow bridge
A dangerous foothold, a slope we slide on
A signpost of the past and future
Your left hand, with my right hand
Join it, connect us, and let's begin
I am always beside you
In the past, the present, and also the future
So let's walk along without hesitating
Pile up multicolored dreams
Where will we head toward tomorrow?
If I can be together with you, the world will begin to shine
Let's search for flowers that bloom at the ends of the earth